Despite their spin, Sask. Party mismanagement and the refusal to diversify the economy has led to another month of job losses. Unemployment in Saskatchewan increased by 5,600 in July 2016 over last July, according to numbers released today by Statistics Canada.
“After nearly a decade of riding the economic boom and wasting every opportunity to plan for Saskatchewan’s future, it’s alarming that the Sask. Party is still refusing to accept responsibility, take this situation seriously and implement a plan to diversify the economy and get Saskatchewan people back to work,” said NDP Leader Trent Wotherspoon. “The Sask. Party is trying to spin their way out of the reality being faced by thousands of Saskatchewan families every day. They know the truth, and these numbers and the stories we’re hearing across this province don’t lie.”
Wotherspoon said that the loss of 4,200 private sector jobs year-over-year is a clear sign that the province’s economy isn’t doing as well as the Sask. Party claims, and proof that Sask. Party’s refusal to diversify our economy is hurting Saskatchewan people and the economy.
“The growing number of job losses in the private sector is troubling. It really speaks to the Sask. Party’s lack of plan to create jobs, and their failure to put Saskatchewan companies first by sending big provincial contracts for everything from the Regina bypass to school maintenance out of province,” Wotherspoon said. “They refuse to take responsibility for their own failures and mismanagement. We’ve consistently seen it while they are missing in action on the devastating oil spill in the North Saskatchewan River and we see it here with spin over action on jobs.”
Now at 6.3 per cent, Saskatchewan has seen the second highest increase in the unemployment rate in the country over the last year. In fact, the growth of the unemployment rate in Saskatchewan is 11 times worse than the national average.
“It’s also hard to watch as the unemployment rate among First Nations continues to rise. It’s now an alarming 24.7 per cent and we know it’s worse on reserve,” said Wotherspoon. “Instead of working to get people back to work, the Sask. Party have only ensured that it will get worse by cutting training, education and economic development programs in their recent budget.”
Other troubling realities revealed in today’s job numbers include:
- 900 jobs lost in the oil, gas, and mining sectors in the last month alone
- 5,600 jobs lost in the construction and housing sectors year over year
- 3,500 jobs lost in Manufacturing, Transportation and Warehousing year over year
Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.